4.3 Wetland Natural Communities
4.3.11.4 Climate Change Compared to Other Threats Comparing climate change to other ecosystem threats can help defne short- and long-term conservation actions and recommendations. While climate change is not the most severe threat, a combination of synergistic efects with other existing conditions could stress these systems to the point where several species are unable to persist. Te efect of a changed climate is likely to vary widely among examples of these commu- nities, depending on topographic sheltering, confguration of rocks, soil depth, size of groundwater pools, and amount of overland runof. Tese systems are tied to specialized small environments and will be unable to migrate as the climate changes. Many may change very little, while a few will shrink, will be disturbed by wind or food, or will change substantially because of temperature changes or drought. A small net loss of acreage may occur, but more seeps may be temporarily afected by drought. Table 4.25 summarizes the comparison of climate change with other existing threats.
T ABLE 4.25 Comparison of climate change with other threats to wet pine savannas
Rank Order Comments
Threat
Development
1 Conversion for subdivisions, businesses, and golf courses permanently reduces available habitat and increases stormwater runof. 2 Te threat of agricultural conversion has reduced in recent years (having greatly reduced habitat historically), but conversion to pine plantation continues. 2 Many of the drier areas have been cleared for agriculture, or converted to inten- sive forestry operations or development. Increased habitat fragmentation can create islands that become population sinks. Conversion of pine production to biofuel production will increase rotation periods and remove slash debris. 3 In the current settled landscape, these systems depend on prescribed burning for the fre they need. Inadequate fre is the greatest threat to protected exam- ples. Severe wildfres in droughts, burning in excessive fuel loads, may cause ecological damage. Because many examples are now fragmented and isolated, uncontrolled fre that burns whole patches is a signifcant threat to many insect populations. Prescribed burning is crucial for retaining these systems in both the present and the expected future climate. Smoke management becomes an issue along with wildfres that result from unsafe landowners burning debris. Firefghting methods can damage the habitats through use of heavy equipment and fre suppression chemicals. 4 Wet pine savannas are likely to be resilient to climate change efects. With drought, fuel loads could increase and contribute to catastrophic fre events. Increased high wind storm events causes wind throws that damage tree stands, especially Red-cockaded Woodpecker cavity trees.
Conversion to Agriculture/ Silviculture Logging/ Exploitation
Fire
Climate Change
379
2015 NC Wildlife Action Plan
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online